Over Coffee
by ProjectM
Summary: Oneshot fic for the AoshiKaoru Livejournal Community 'In the Moonlight'. A chance meeting at the supermarket and a date at the coffee shop.


_Standard Disclaimers Apply._

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Drabble/One-shot. This fic was created for the Aoshi x Kaoru livejournal community **In the Moonlight** as a Christmas gift to the lovely ladies **BelleDayNight **and **ForgottenDiary.** Hope you guys enjoy it as well!

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**Over Coffee **

**by: _girldisturbed_ **

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"Shinomori-san?"

Startled by the softly spoken voice, he looked up from the phone being cradled on his ear and twisted around to glance at the speaker.

Kaoru blushed in slight embarrassment at the shock displayed on his face and the stare that soon followed. Raising a hand to tuck a wayward lock behind her ear, she ducked to avoid those piercing eyes and murmured a sheepish,

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you it's just, I was so surprised to see you here."

He raised a hand to dismiss her apologies and said an even "I'll talk to you when I get back." to the person on the other line before clicking the phone closed and placing it in his pocket.

"Kaoru." He rolled the name over his tongue testing its familiarity.

"It's been three years."

She nodded.

"Yes, I suppose it's been that long hasn't it?"

Caught up in those melancholy blue eyes that spoke to him of bittersweet things, he glanced around their surroundings hoping to distract himself from the spell she'd always been apt to cast upon him on moments like these.

_'Baka'_ He scolded himself mentally. _'Three years of closing yourself off and hardening your heart only to amount to nothing in light of a chance meeting at a supermarket. Pathetic.'_ He turned his angry glare downwards focusing on the white ceramic tiles before she noticed his stare and misunderstood. Consciously relaxing his shoulders, he studied the woman in front of him inwardly marveling at the changes time brought to her small frame. She looked more _matured_…more _refined._ If he didn't know any better he'd say the years have become…

She tilted her face upwards and met his eyes, gaze pensive as she musingly asked, "Well this is a wonderful surprise." a slightly hesitant smile "I know it's unorthodox for the woman to be the instigator but…Would you do me the honor of conversation over coffee?"

_…unkind_.

Aoshi nodded.

"Ofcourse."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Oh good. All that staring was starting to get me worried Shi-chan." She chuckled at the face he made at the name.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that."

She stuck out her tongue in response to his regal tones and skipped ahead of him. "I know this great place that has the best mocha latte…" Nodding absently a small smile quirked the man's lips, pleased that at least in regards to his company the stark lines of strain he'd observed earlier were starting to fade right in front of him. He made a mental note to ask her about those later.

…

Sipping the heated broth a blissful sigh escaped her petal pink lips and impulsively Kaoru closed her eyes as the faint whirl of smoke drifted to her obviously pleased face. A snort from the man in front of her had her eye cracking open before placing the Styrofoam cup down to give him a mock glare.

"Well I'm glad you're at least amused but do you have to do it at my expanse?"

He smirked.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Restraining herself at the last minute for the childish act of rolling her eyes, Kaoru settled instead for another pointed glare.

"Looks like you haven't changed at all _Shi-chan._" Putting emphasis on the name, she grinned at his answering glare and placed both hands on the table to cradle her chin. Studying the man seated across the table, she let her eyes wander over the prominent cheekbones, short cropped locks and crystal blue orbs. He looks the same. Perhaps a little taller but still the same Aoshi. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she frowned when she noticed the waitress hovering close to their table with her eyes straying to Aoshi.

She wondered at her reaction. Three years and the possessive instincts towards this man still remained the same. She placed a hand on her lap, leaving her other to cradle her cheek._ I wonder if – _

"Kaoru."

She started before blinking rapidly. _"Huh?"_ Examining the slight pink tint covering his cheeks she inwardly cursed herself with various expletives. '_Dammit! Now he thinks you're ogling him. Focus Kamiya! You aren't in high school anymore. Get a grip before things become really awkward.' _

Steeling herself from her momentary lapse she said. "Yes, what is it?" and mentally patted herself on the back for how confident that sounded.

Glancing away, making sure his hair covered the blush that was sure to be present he cleared his throat and answered a flat,

"I said how have you been?" before closing his eyes and inhaling the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

It was…_unnerving_ to be assaulted by long ago emotions on such an unexpected day. When she'd stared at him like that, hungry gaze sweeping up and down his form; Aoshi had to visibly restrain himself from reaching out the table and kissing her.

Hands curling into fists, he stared intently at the woman in front of him. He thought he'd been rid of these unwanted emotions after graduation specifically when she'd announced her engagement to that no good punk Enishi.

It seemed he thought wrong.

She forced out a chuckle. "Sorry that was rude of me to space out like that. I've been okay. Still content with working on the same agency." She grinned. "You should drop by sometime. I'm sure Kamatari wouldn't mind."

He snorted, the topic successfully bringing him out of his daze and crashing back down with the remembrance of the cross-dressing designer in question. As if he could easily forget.

That – that…_thing_ had stalked his every step during both his highschool and college days. If it weren't for Kaoru befriending that vile…_boy_ he'd have strangled the idiot without a second thought. His hands twitched.

"No I think I'll pass."

She chuckled. "Aw, you're such a spoil sport Shi-chan. The man can't help but be so obviously entranced by your beauty he just had to take a token as a remembrance of your magnificent presence to get him by the lonely nights."

Another aggravated snort. "He stole my underwear Kaoru not my portrait."

Koru couldn't help but laugh at that. The statement coming out so easily she had to wonder what more words could come from that mouth in contrast to his blank face.

"Well I can't exactly blame him."

Aoshi froze.

"It's not like you're that hard to remember Aoshi. Actually I find it harder to get you out of my head."

Kami help him. _Is she –_ is she _flirting_ with him?

Kaoru blushed. _God,_ that was cheesy. Could she embarrass herself more? She ducked fervently wishing the ground would swallow her up now.

Aoshi blinked.

Oh merciful gods from above…_she is! _

Raising a hand to wipe the small sweat that managed to form on his forehead, he cleared his throat uncertain on how to deal with the situation nor the surprisingly warm sensation that managed to pull on his stomach.

_Distraction…distraction_…they needed a distraction.

His eyes landed on the thin hand perched at the table. No ring? Shifting his gaze to the one cradling her chin, absently noticing his own fingers twitching in jealousy at her elegant digits so casually cupping her face, Aoshi noticed the lack of wedding bands on those fingers as well. Hmm…

"So how is…Yukishiro?"

Kaoru winced. She'd wondered if he would ever ask that. Turning her gaze to the cars passing by outside and ignoring the twinge of pain that emerged from the question she replied a blank, "It didn't work out." before clamping her mouth shut unwilling to let out anything more but that simple statement.

Feeling lightheaded and wondering if the coffee contained any substances that made him this sinously happy, he nodded smothering the happy laugh that wanted to be let out and answered a flat "I see." instead.

Mouth twisting into a frown at the guilt that bombarded him when she bowed her head, he did something completely out of character but consoled himself in light of the circumstances and reached forward to cup her chin before lifting her face upwards to meet his. Wiping away the stray tears that managed to leak out he murmured a low "I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean -"

"No, no. It's okay. I don't know what wrong with me…I just - can we talk about this another time?"

He nodded. "Of course."

The shrill ringing of a phone disrupted the strangely intimate atmosphere and Kaoru groaned in aggravation. _Great_. _Just great_. Taking out the cellphone from her purse, she let out an apologetic smile at the disgruntled man in front of her and flipped it open to answer.

_"Hun, you know I love you but if you don't get your ass in here right now I'll come over there drag you back here myself! The show is starting in four hours and the models are all present the only absent is you. Break's been over for an hour and I don't care if your sick, bleeding or on the verge of an orgasm. I need you here right. **Now.**"_

She rolled her eyes. Her boss was so melodramatic.

"Yes, yes Kamatari hold on I just managed to bump into Aoshi on the supermarket. I'll be there in a minute."

Turning off her phone and ignoring the outraged squeals from the other line, she looked up and smiled sheepishly; murmuring her thanks when he paid the bill.

"Well I guess that means our date's over." She stood and dusted her skirt, holding out her hand when he stood, she blushed when his warm hand covered hers. Coughing nervously, she shook their linked appendages and stuttered out a, "Hope to see you again someday" before fleeing out the door.

Quickly recovering from his shock at her hasty departure, he opened the door and followed after her.

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"Kaoru!"

The hand fumbling for her car keys dropped. Groaning, she kneeled to take the troublesome item before standing up to turn to the panting man behind her. She gulped wondering why her throat was suddenly dry and asked a strangely breathless, "Yes, what is - " before letting her eyes immediately slip closed when he reached out to cup her face for a kiss.

Lips molding seamlessly they fumbled slightly before he tilted her head to deepen it. Catching herself before she moaned with the sheer intensity of his kiss she ducked hiding her face to his chest as his arms came around to embrace her. Cheeks blazing she gasped for air, knees turning to mush as she scolded a half-hearted,

"We're in a public place Aoshi! People are starting to stare."

He grinned and murmured a husky "Let them." before swooping down once more to capture her lips with his. Pushing him away before he took it to another level she glared at his mischievous grin and laughingly gasped a "You shameless man!" before letting out a soft smile.

"I'm afraid I can't stay. Kamatari will kill me if I come any later than I am now."

Aoshi nodded and she answered with a wide smile.

"Arigatou for understanding. Ja, I'll see you soon ne?"

"Aa."

Opening the door to her car she got in before closing it and starting the engine. Walking away, just about to get into his own car Aoshi stopped when he remembered something and called her name to get her attention.

Pausing she stared at him, eyes conveying her question as she waited on what he had to say. Aoshi grinned at her stare and called out.

"Would you do me the honor of another conversation?"

Her lip kicked up into a pleased smile.

"Over coffee?"

He nodded ruffled locks moving with the motion as his eyes and mouth creased in happiness.

"Yes, over coffee."

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End file.
